"The restoration is important because it's our heritage. Our heritage is not only ours, but of the entire world."

-- Restoration

-- Restoration --

Unrestored

A majority of Havana’s buildings display a resemblance of their former selves with only the original foundations remaining. They have been given last priority due to structural instability or lack of maintenance.

Restored

Buildings that have been fully restored are reminiscent of their 1950s beauty attesting to Havana’s former status as a luxury city. The buildings are outfitted with brightly colored paint and contemporary building materials.

In a Cemetery

Andres is a local tour guide with the Christopher Columbus Cemetery in Havana. Very knowledgeable about the history of the cemetery, Andres is passionate about the restoration and preservation of the area. He quotes Benjamin Franklin in saying, “show me your cemeteries and I will tell you what kind of people you have.”

Founded in 1871, there are 2.5 million people buried in the Christopher Columbus cemetery. It is the largest of 21 cemeteries in Havana. The Christopher Columbus Cemetery holds 40 funerals per day and is the resting place of three former presidents of Cuba. Christopher Columbus’ remains were moved to this cemetery in 1795 from present-day Dominican Republic and were kept there for over 100 years. When Cuba became an independent country following the Spanish-American war, his remains were transported back to Spain, leaving his namesake of the cemetery behind in Havana.

City Historian

Eusebio Leal is the Havana City Historian, director of the restoration program of Old Havana (Habana Vieja) and its historical center. He has directed the restoration of hundreds of landmark buildings in Old Havana, the colonial section of the city founded in 1519.

His initiatives and planning helped produce the unique management structure where the Restoration Program operates outside of government. This is centered on a mechanism that uses tourist dollars to fund preservation, making the city more attractive to visitors, bringing in more tourist dollars and thus more preservation.

Leal is responsible for the declaration of Old Havana as an UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage site in 1982.

Termite Trouble

Efforts are in progress to use science to combat the natural elements of building destruction such as weathering and termites. Local science labs study ways to repair buildings from the degrading effects of seawater as well as damage from termites in order to prevent further destruction.

Corrosion

The corrosion of Old Havana’s buildings is mostly due to the constant presence of water, both from the close proximity with the ocean and Cuba’s tropical climate. Called aqueous corrosion, seawater can be devastating to structures whose foundations are not kept in constantly high repair. The selenic concentration in seawater causes electrochemical changes in building materials and is especially corrosive to metal, causing galvanic corrosion and aggressive rusting. Additionally, it rains in Havana over 60% of the year, severely damaging the wooden foundation of many of Old Havana’s standing structures. The water that builds up in the wooden foundation is never allowed to evaporate due to the constant rains, allowing for rot over time. The perpetual moisture buildup also makes the wood extremely attractive to termites, which are one of Havana’s buildings’ worst enemies.

Preserving Art

Aside from renovating buildings and local architecture, Havana is making strides to restore its artistic culture. The Office of the Historian employs nine artists who restore easel paintings that come from Cuba, mainly museums in Havana. Graffiti art and wall murals also accompany the admired Afro-Cuban art scene that is so prevalent in Havana.

Hopeful Future

Linnette Brown is a tour guide with the San Cristobal travel agency in Havana, Cuba. She grew up in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba and has lived in Havana for six years. She is proud of her Cuban heritage and believes the restoration initiative is for the better of the city. She is hoping more progress will be made in the next 10 years and citizens will continue to join together to get involved any way they can.

The San Cristobal Agency is part of the operation of the Office of the City Historian of Havana. The Office is the organization responsible for the restoration of the historical center of Havana and employs more than 7,000 people for the effort.

Tourism

One of the ways the city of Havana is working towards social and economic restoration is through its cultural outreach to tourists. Street festivals, vegetable carts and restaurant entertainment help bring in money from visitors willing to offer a few CUCs (Cuban tourist currency) to locals. Tourism has become the No. 1 source of revenue for the country with 1.2 million people visiting as of July 2013. The majority of tourists are from Canada, followed by Europeans primarily from Great Britain, Spain, Italy, France and Germany.

"Everything is culture, our buildings, our art...as we grow we are taught to be proud of our culture."

- Ulice Acosta Llanes, RESTORATION SITE OFFICER

-- About

-- About --

Beginning of the Restoration

Image Source: UNESCO
Cuba experienced a great economic boom during the early 20th Century, causing massive building and expansion in Old Havana. After losing a major source of trade in the U.S. embargo and then its primary funding with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country faced a virtual bankruptcy. In a normal developing economy, Old Havana’s buildings would have been demolished but this turmoil spared many of them. Eusebio Leal began the restoration and preservation movement in 1967, spurring the development of an industry of physical, cultural and environmental restoration in Old Havana. More than 350 buildings were restored between 1981-2004 and in 1982, Old Havana was named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Image Source: UNESCO
Cuba experienced a great economic boom during the early 20th Century, causing massive building and expansion in Old Havana. After losing a major source of trade in the U.S. embargo and then its primary funding with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country faced a virtual bankruptcy. In a normal developing economy, Old Havana’s buildings would have been demolished but this turmoil spared many of them. Eusebio Leal began the restoration and preservation movement in 1967, spurring the development of an industry of physical, cultural and environmental restoration in Old Havana. More than 350 buildings were restored between 1981-2004 and in 1982, Old Havana was named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Current Restoration

In 2012, it was reported that the Office of the Historian had restored and now operates 16 hotels, a tour company, restaurants, museums, a radio station and more totaling to revenues of $119 million. There are now many hotels and businesses in Old Havana whose revenues are invested back into the restoration processes. However, there is still contention between restoration sites for funding, with some sites deemed more important to receive renovation than others. These sites currently include: the Havana Capitol building, the Havana Jetty (the Malecón), the fifth garden of the Mills, and the Palace Segundo Cabo.

In 2012, it was reported that the Office of the Historian had restored and now operates 16 hotels, a tour company, restaurants, museums, a radio station and more totaling to revenues of $119 million. There are now many hotels and businesses in Old Havana whose revenues are invested back into the restoration processes. However, there is still contention between restoration sites for funding, with some sites deemed more important to receive renovation than others. These sites currently include: the Havana Capitol building, the Havana Jetty (the Malecón), the fifth garden of the Mills, and the Palace Segundo Cabo.

Future Restoration

Due to the fact that these projects are restorative in nature, there will always be more restoration to be done. UNESCO originally designated 444 sites in Old Havana for preservation and a little more than half have been completed. Buildings will continue to decay and require restoration. With tourism still driving Cuba’s economy, and Old Havana being critically important in this plan, it is unlikely that the restoration initiatives will be completed any time in the near future.

Due to the fact that these projects are restorative in nature, there will always be more restoration to be done. UNESCO originally designated 444 sites in Old Havana for preservation and a little more than half have been completed. Buildings will continue to decay and require restoration. With tourism still driving Cuba’s economy, and Old Havana being critically important in this plan, it is unlikely that the restoration initiatives will be completed any time in the near future.

The Restoration Mission

The management of heritage recovery is far from the traditional view focused exclusively on the restoration of buildings and public spaces, addressing issues related to society, housing, education and health, or humanitarian affairs. It is a program that develops in a place of great heritage value, with culture as central to performance, but focused primarily on the inhabitants of the territory.

The management of heritage recovery is far from the traditional view focused exclusively on the restoration of buildings and public spaces, addressing issues related to society, housing, education and health, or humanitarian affairs. It is a program that develops in a place of great heritage value, with culture as central to performance, but focused primarily on the inhabitants of the territory.

-- Map

-- Map --

Explore the interactive map below to read more about the places that have been restored, are currently under restoration or help aid in the progress of this initiative.

Convent of our Lady of Belen

Model of Old Havana

Restoration Site

Office of Environment, Patrimony and Community

The Trade School

The Capitol

Christopher Columbus Cemetery

"Culture is an identity and as a form of expression is always taken with you. The projects developed here are meant to develop that culture."

- Ulises Acosta, ASSISTANT AT THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY

-- Infographics

-- Infographics --

Watch to see more about what Havana locals had to say about the restoration.

Watch to see more about what Havana locals had to say about the restoration.